Whist strictly not my first foray into the world of XBox Lives Arcade gaming – my first being the free copy of Call of Duty that came with the Hardened Edition of Modern Warfare 2 – Alien Breed was my first time shopping for a game. Finding myself with only 800 MS Points did limit my choices however, as there seemed to be two price points, with 800 being the lower option. Alien Breed Episode 1 however seemed like a good choice, especially seeing it’s history.
I’ve been playing video games since the original Space Invaders in the late seventies, but it wasn’t until a decade later when I took my gaming addiction from seedy arcades to my bedroom, with the arrival of the mighty Amega 1000.
However, it wasn’t until 1991 that Team17 released the original Alien Breed, a game that was heavily influence by the film Aliens. Back then the game was a top down affair, with basic, but pretty cutting edge for the time, graphics. Gameplay was simple; find the lift down to the next level whilst exploring for extra ammo, upgrades and other stuff. Oh, and killing any aliens that might try and attack you.
It was simple, but addictively fun. It’s also been said to be the 2D forerunner to 1993’s FPS Doom the game responsible for the whole first person shooter genre. It might be a bit of a stretch, but you could say that Alien Breed was the twinkle in the eye of the creator of Modern Warfare 2. You could.
Nearly 20 years later and the new Alien Breed isn’t much different – the to main aspects being that it’s been rapidly upgraded graphically – with an oblique 3D view and the kind of graphics you’d expect from your 360. The game is just as much fun to play – although it can be absolutely frustrating when you can’t seem to find the lift to the next level!
With the inclusion of co-op over XBox Live Alien Breed Evolution brings to fruition the game that was inspired by the still classic film Aliens, allowing you to team up and combat the nasty little critters with a mate.
The quality of the game, along with the relatively cheap price, makes XBox Live Arcade a haven for old school arcade addicts like myself. But rather than 20c coins, you’ll need a few MS points to gain entrance to this gaming nirvana.
Reviewed on: XBox 360
Available on: XBox 360
Reviewed by:
